


Confrontation

by Leni



Series: Mother Knows Best [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 04:59:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16968129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: @nropay asked “A fairytale with a happy ending always brings a smile to my face.”





	Confrontation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NropaY_OneEye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NropaY_OneEye/gifts).



> @nropay asked “A fairytale with a happy ending always brings a smile to my face.”

The imposing church was incongruous in the small, sleepy town; a great, empty building where only the occasional member of the blue-clad sisterhood tread in reverent silence.

Neither thunder not lightning struck in protest when Fiona stepped into the high-ceilinged vault.

Curious eyes glanced around, drawing from her occasional brushes with spirituality in this world to understand why her curse had remade the fairies as nuns.

The answer came as the many paintings that dotted the church, of a young mother holding her infant son, blissfully unaware of that child’s fate. Another baby destined from birth to sacrifice their life to fulfill their role as a Savior.

Good triumphed over evil - no matter what suffering it caused in its wake.

Reul Ghorm and her court hadn’t needed to change their belief system, except to accommodate a god that ruled over them (and who, no doubt, would find his holy presence kicked over to the nearest pantheon as soon as Emma broke the curse). The convent still functioned as an institution set apart from the mundane world, ostensibly devoted to good works though in practice it had taken the whole town pitching in to keep them afloat.

Unimpressed, Fiona turned on her heel, ready to leave.

“Ms. Black,” said a sweet voice that had featured in her nightmares for centuries. “If you’ve come for guidance, please don’t leave without allowing one of us to help you.”

Fiona was glad that her magic was muted within the town limits. Otherwise, memories gone or not, she would have struck out. One look at Reul Ghorm's benign smile, coupled with that eagerness to have someone new under her influence, convinced Fiona that the core of her greatest enemy hadn’t bent even for the strongest curse.

“Your help?” Fiona had to laugh at the idea.

Mother Superior lifted an eyebrow, the merest flicker of consternation crossing her face before she settled on a reason for Fiona’s animosity. “I see you’ve been listening to your cousin,” she said. “You shouldn’t. Gold delights in other people’s misery. A very troubled man.” She shook her head, but whether it was concern or pity she attempted to convey was lost under her annoyance. “Even if he’s family, I recommend keeping your distance.”

Fiona sucked in a sharp breath, adding that piece of advice to the reasons she would come after Blue once the curse broke. The fairies didn’t deserve the power they enjoyed, not with the current leadership.

“If facing consequences after your rent went unpaid caused you misery, then it was self-inflicted,” Fiona said.

“The circumstances were beyond my control…”

Always the same excuse. “As I’ve heard it, you trusted the money to an incompetent chit. Good people can be incompetent too.” Fiona brushed aside the attempted defense of Sister Astrid. “Once the damage was done, it was your responsibility to recover the money or at least offer something of equal value.” She glanced meaningfully around the church. “An order as old and prestigious as Saint Melissa must have picked a few little treasures over the decades.”

“Everything belongs to the Church, and we may not dispose of it,” Mother Superior said. “We must be frugal, and have little to spare for emergencies.”

Her words rang true, and Fiona smirked to herself at the thought of the powerful fairy, who depended on no one and granted their favor at their whim, tied to a vow of poverty in this world.

She appreciated how the Evil Queen’s cruelty had shaped the curse, when it came to their enemies in common.

“Then you should have chosen a cheaper place,” Fiona told the other woman, enjoying Blue’s annoyed expression when she couldn’t think of a rejoinder. “Or did Gold force you to settle in his property?”

“A little consideration on his part would have gone a long way.”

If her voice sounded bitter, Fiona decided she had good reason. “Experience has taught me that mercy is a rare commodity.” She had begged for her boy to be spared, and been granted nothing but empty platitudes. “Pity those who are helpless without it.”

Anger leaked into the words, leaving Mother Superior staring in confused silence.

Fiona took a deep breath. There would be time, later, to rehash the past with the real Reul Ghorm. “Be as it may,” she continued in a calmer tone, “since you’re so fond of advice from complete strangers, do try that control of the convent’s finances doesn’t escape you. Gold will have even less patience to deal with your problems than ever.” His family reunited at last, all Rumpelstiltskin cared about was to help Emma break the curse and finally be able to leave Storybrooke. “He is a busy man, and distractions will not be welcome.”

Mother Superior’s eyes sharpened. “Busy, you say? Making a fool of himself over a girl half his age, you mean.”

“I see the walls of the convent don’t stop the gossip,” Fiona snapped. She felt no fondness over the waif from the hospital basement, but Mother Superior’s attitude moved her to defend Rumpelstiltskin’s choice. “Belle has just come through a difficult situation; she’s smart to take things slowly. If Gold looks the fool, it’s because he believes it worth the risk. Haven’t you ever taken a risk for love?”

The quick sneer was answer enough.

In both Mother Superior’s and Blue’s eyes, risks were for other people to take, and love a poor reward anyway.

Were it anyone else, Fiona would have pitied them.

“I thought someone of your calling would be glad to hear of it, when people meet and fall in love.”

“Love is not that easy,” Mother Superior said solemnly. “Life isn’t some fairytale.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“I doubt it. Soon that girl will realize her mistake, and I pray it won’t be too late.” She tilted up her chin, looking Fiona in the eye. “Some people do not deserve to be given even one chance.”

Fiona wanted to crush the words out of her throat. “It doesn’t matter what you think.” She contented herself with Mother Superior’s grimace at her dismissal. “A fairytale with a happy ending always brings a smile to my face. Perhaps you should try it too.”

  
The End  
10/09/18


End file.
